Emerging Technologies

Background
Interactive (smart) standards/engineering aids are a completely new paradigm
for adding value to existing standards. Interactive (smart) standards/engineering aids
require user friendly interfaces that dynamically adapt to the underlying data to provide
the best functionality for end users. Integration with existing software packages, such as
AutoCAD and ProEngineer, will be a key contributor to the success of this new product.

Benefits of this delivery methodology for purchasers:

Increases the availability and usability of SAEs standards by providing them in
a more usable form for our customers.

Addresses a growing need for computer-based aids that can be installed as stand-alone
products or incorporated into existing applications on a variety of operating systems and
hardware platforms to answer product design, development, manufacturing, and quality
questions when they arise rather than as an after-the-fact impact analysis.

Technical professionals benefit greatly from easy access to
important information such as SAE standards, handbooks and recommended practices. The
proposed methodology will make it feasible to offer interactive (smart)
standards/engineering aids in various forms.

Demonstration This is an executable. Download it to your hard drive, then go into your file manager and double click on the "smrtstd" icon.

As an example, consider the pilot interactive (smart)
standard/engineering aid, SAE J244 (Measurement of Intake Air or Exhaust Gas Flow of
Diesel Engines)Section 6.2 (Calculation of Intake Air Flow). A mathematical model,
constructed using TKSolver, is shown.

The equations from the standard are displayed in mathematical form
using Greek characters and mathematical symbols where appropriate. The variables in these
equations are concisely summarized in a worksheet including descriptions and unit
definitions. This worksheet gives users the flexibility of entering input values for known
variables in whatever units they desire, and then TKSolver solves for the unknowns. One
can also make across-the-board selection and change of units to SI or U.S. Customary units
if he/she so chooses. TKSolver also produces plots of relationships of interest.
TKSolvers ability to backsolve problems is especially valuable in the
development of interactive standards/engineering aids. With backsolving users can solve
problems in any direction, depending what is known or required. In this case, we may need
to compute the nozzle diameter resulting in a desired flow rate. TKSolver also supports
conditional (if-then-else) and logical (and, not, or) problem solving.

Smart Materials

Background
Designers always consider the worst-case scenario and, as a result, designs
contain large margins of safety, including numerous reinforcements, redundancy, and added
mass. This approach demands more natural resources and consumes more energy to produce and
maintain. It also requires more effort to predict the circumstances under which the
product will be used and abused.

Trying to anticipate the worst-case scenario has a much more serious
and obvious flaw. We are unable to foresee all possible contingencies that can arise. As a
result, costly litigation often ensues.

The Technology
Smart materials incorporate chemical switches or mechanical sensors to
improve their performance. They respond to environmental stimuli with particular changes
in some variables and are sometimes called responsive materials. Depending on changes in
some external conditions, smart or responsive materials change either their properties
(mechanical, electrical, appearance), their structure or composition, or their functions.
Smart materials can be embedded in systems whose inherent properties can be favorably
changed to meet performance needs.